Extension-cord connection



Feb. 26*, 1924. 1,485,215

E. E. COAR ET AL EXTENS ION CORD CONNECTION Filed Feb. 24 1921 Patented Feb. 26, 1924.-

ENDS E. COAR MD CASHIER THILMAN, OF SOUTH BEND,

EXTENSION-CORD CONNECTION.

Application filed February 24, 1921. Serial No. 447,570.

To all whom it may c Be it known that we, ENos E. COAR and 'CASMIER .THILMAN, citizens of the United States of America, residing at South Bend, in the county of Saint Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Extension-Cord Connect1ons, of which the following is a specificatlon The object of the invention is to provide .simple and efiicient means for eflecting the attachment of extension cordsused in connection with electric lamps, irons, washlng and cleaning machines, sweepers and the like in lieu of the ordinary plugs which in many instances are ppen to objection by reason of the relative inaccessibility of the sockets provided for the reception of the plugs as for example in con-. nection with lamps having shades of small dimensions or of such a construction as to necessitate the removal thereof in order to afford the necessary access; and furthermore to provide a connection wherein'an effective seating of the contacts may be accomplished without the inconvenience'and loss of time incident to the turning of the usual screw plug, and the diiiiculty sometimes experienced in properly starting the screw particularly when an effort is made to effect the connection hastily; and with these objects in view the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is shown in the ac companying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side view of a connector embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse section'on the plane indicated by the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on the plane indicated by the line.33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view on the plane indicated by the line 4.4t of Figure 3.

The contacts respectively represented at 10 and 11 consist of a spring tongue and a plurality of pins having heads 12 and retracting springs 13, said contacts being carried by a plug 14 having a swivel connection through a su table flange or collar 15 with a stock 16 consisting of a handle or grip to which the cord 17 is attached. The wires carried by the cord are respectively connected with contact rings 18 and 19 engaged by contactplates 20 and 21 carried by the p ug and connected by wires 22 and 23 respectively with said contacts 10 and 11.

The tendency of th pri g 13 is to reforms of screwing tract the contact pins 11, and order to extend the same to engage the socket a conicalspreader 24 is reciprocably 'mounted in the plug and is connected by a 'rod 25 with a push button 26 at the remote end of the stock or grip, said push button being actuated by a spring 27.

Thus when it is desired to efi'ect a connection between the extension cord and the socket it is only necessary to press the push button 26 as the plug is inserted in the socket to permit of the retraction of the contact pins 11, and upon release of the push button the spreader 24 will 'force said pins into engagement with the socket and lock the plug in place. A similar operation of the push button will release the plug and permit of its removal from the socket.

It will be noted-that with an apparatus as described the connection may be effected even though the socket may be in amore or less inaccessible position, and by a single movement as distinguished from the turning of the plug to effect the engagement of screw threads as in the ordinary practice and under conditions insuring a proper relation of the contacts. 7

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and useful is 1. An extension cord connector having a handle, a plug carried at one end of the.

the plug, raidally movable contact elements projecting laterally from the plug, resilient means normally retracting said radial contacts, a spreader disposed in the lug in the rear of said radial contacts and provided with a stem dis osed axiall through and slidably mounte in the ham e, a spring in surroundin relation with said. stem and seated in t e handle, and an exteriorly exposed button engaged with the stem and in contact with the spring to normally dispose the spreader in contact protruding position, said button being depressible'to shift said spreader to permit retraction of the radial contacts by their resilient means;

, 3. A device for the purpose indicated comprising a handle and a plug carried thereby, a fixed contactmounted on the end of he plug, radial contacts projecting laterally from the plug and provided interiorly of the latter with heads, springs in surrounding relation with said radialcontacts and tending normally to dispose them inretracted position, a conical spreader disposed in the plu and bearing against the headsof said ra ial contacts, a hand button carried at one extremit of the handle and operatively connected with the spreader, and a compression spring housed in the handle and bearing on one extremity of the button to yieldingly dispose said spreader in contact protruding position.

In testimony whereof they afiix their signatures.

ENOS E. COAR. CASMIER THILMAN. 

